Art Johnston
Art Johnston was a member of the Duluth School Board in Minnesota, representing District 4. He assumed office in 2009. He left office in 2017.
Johnston (Republican Party) ran for election to the Minnesota House of Representatives to represent District 8A. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Biography
Art Johnston resides in Duluth, Minnesota. Johnston earned his first B.S. degree in mathematics at the University of Wisconsin, Superior and earned his second B.S. degree in civil engineering from Michigan Technological University. During his career as a structural engineer, he worked for the federal government. At the time of his tenure, Johnston served as the president of the Duluth branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers in addition to consulting with the state and federal governments.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Minnesota House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 8A
Incumbent Liz Olson defeated Art Johnston in the general election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 8A on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Liz Olson (D) | 70.5 | 11,587 |
 | Art Johnston (R) | 29.4 | 4,830 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 22 | ||
| Total votes: 16,439 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 8A
Incumbent Liz Olson advanced from the Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 8A on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Liz Olson | 100.0 | 3,496 |
| Total votes: 3,496 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 8A
Art Johnston defeated Allan Kehr II in the Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 8A on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Art Johnston | 66.8 | 1,053 |
| Allan Kehr II | 33.2 | 523 | ||
| Total votes: 1,576 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2020
See also: Minnesota House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 7B
Incumbent Liz Olson defeated Art Johnston in the general election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 7B on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Liz Olson (D) | 68.2 | 14,769 |
| Art Johnston (R) | 31.7 | 6,879 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 23 | ||
| Total votes: 21,671 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Liz Olson advanced from the Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 7B.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Art Johnston advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 7B.
Campaign finance
2013
- See also: Duluth Public Schools elections (2013)
Art Johnston defeated David Bolgrien to win the District 4 seat in the general election on November 5, 2013. Johnston and Bolgrien defeated Justin Perpich in the September 10 primary election to continue on to the general election.
Results
| Duluth Public Schools, District 4 General Election, 4-year term, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Art Johnston Incumbent |
54% | 1,796 | |
| Nonpartisan | David Bolgrien | 45.7% | 1,518 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.3% | 11 | |
| Total Votes | 3,325 | |||
| Source: Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, "Results for Selected Contests in School District No. 709 - Duluth," accessed December 18, 2013 | ||||
| Duluth Public Schools, District 4 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | David Bolgrien |
37.6% | 463 | |
| Nonpartisan | Art Johnston Incumbent |
33.4% | 411 | |
| Nonpartisan | Justin Perpich | 28.9% | 356 | |
| Total Votes | 1,230 | |||
| Source: Duluth, Minnesota, "Summary Report," accessed October 24, 2013 (dead link) | ||||
Funding
Art Johnston reported $1,537.00 in contributions and $2,364.00 in expenditures to Duluth Public Schools, which left his campaign with $827.00 in debt.[2]
Endorsements
Art Johnston did not receive any official endorsements for his campaign.
2009
| Duluth Public Schools, District 4 General Election, 4-year term, 2009 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Art Johnston |
52.6% | 1,972 | |
| Nonpartisan | Laura Condon Incumbent | 47.2% | 1,770 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.3% | 10 | |
| Total Votes | 3,752 | |||
| Source: Duluth, Minnesota, "Summary Report," accessed October 29, 2013 | ||||
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Art Johnston did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Art Johnston did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2013
Johnston's campaign website listed the following campaign themes for 2013:[3]
|
It is not good enough to say that we have to eliminate the achievement gap, lower class sizes, and raise our graduation rates—we have to do something about it. And we have to understand budgets. We have gone from a $25 million reserve fund to only $1 million this year. We are very close to bankruptcy. So we have the worst of two worlds: we have raised local taxes repeatedly; and we still have large classes sizes, academic and financial problems. I’m the only person on the board who questions why we have gotten to this point, the only one that understands the problems, and the only one that has solutions. I bring honesty and I listen to the people I represent—be they students, staff, or taxpayers. I want to be on a school board that gives leadership. I have the courage to ask questions; the courage to listen, and the courage to take action. |
Note: The above quote is from the candidate's website, which may include some typographical or spelling errors.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Truth in Duluth, "Art Johnston," accessed October 29, 2013
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through e-mail from the Business Services department of Duluth Public Schools on December 30, 2013
- ↑ Truth in Duluth, "School Board Elections 2013!" accessed October 29, 2013
